cramps
cramps — 名詞
1. a sudden painful tightening of a muscle that you cannot control, lasting for a s
肌肉痙攣
肌肉突然疼痛收縮
a sudden painful tightening of a muscle that you cannot control, lasting for a short time and often making it hard to use that part of your body.
Caleb woke up during the night with a painful cramp in his calf muscle.
Caleb 在夜間醒來，小腿肌肉一陣疼痛的抽筋。
After swimming for an hour in cold water, Maja felt a cramp tighten her leg.
在冷水中游了一小時後，Maja 感覺腿部抽筋收緊。
cramp + body part to show location
The runner grabbed his thigh and stopped running when a sudden cramp hit him.
那位跑者抓住大腿停了下來，因為突然抽筋襲擊了他。
Drinking enough water during exercise can help stop muscle cramps from starting.
運動時喝足夠的水，有助於預防肌肉抽筋。
A sharp cramp in her foot made Yuna drop the basket she was carrying.
Yuna 的腳一陣劇烈抽筋，害她放下了提著的籃子。
- spasm
a more general term for any sudden muscle contraction, not necessarily painful
- contraction
more clinical and less specific than cramp
- stitch
informal term for a sudden pain, especially in the side during exercise
- relaxation
the state of a muscle being loose and free from tension
用法筆記
Often used in the plural form 'cramps' even when referring to a single muscle spasm. 'A cramp' (singular) is also correct.
常見錯誤
2. a stiff, painful condition in a muscle caused by using it repeatedly for a long
書寫痙攣
過度使用導致的肌肉僵硬
a stiff, painful condition in a muscle caused by using it repeatedly for a long time, especially in the hand or fingers from writing or typing.
After writing her three-hour exam essay, Lucía developed a painful writer’s cramp in her right hand.
Lucía 考了三小時的申論題後，右手出現了疼痛的書寫痙攣。
writer’s cramp as a compound noun
Kenji typed reports for ten hours a day, and the constant motion gave him a cramp in his forearm.
Kenji 每天打字十小時，長期動作讓他前臂抽筋。
The pianist stopped playing the sonata halfway through because a cramp seized her fingers.
鋼琴家彈到一半停了下來，因為手指突然抽筋。
Long hours of knitting caused an old cramp in Grandma Rosa’s wrist to return.
長時間打毛衣讓 Rosa 奶奶手腕的老舊抽筋又復發了。
- repetitive strain injury
a broader medical term for pain from repeated movements, not limited to the hand
- overuse injury
general term for damage caused by too much activity
用法筆記
This sense seldom appears as a standalone word outside the compound 'writer’s cramp' or similar phrases like 'Muslim’s cramp' (kneeling) or 'typist’s cramp'.
常見錯誤
3. sharp or dull pains in the lower belly area that some women experience before or
經痛
女性經期的腹部疼痛
sharp or dull pains in the lower belly area that some women experience before or during their monthly period.
Shirin stayed home from school because her period cramps were very painful that morning.
Shirin 因為經痛很厲害，那天早上請假沒去上學。
period cramps as common compound
Lakshmi took the medicine her doctor suggested, and the cramps in her belly faded within an hour.
Lakshmi 吃了醫生建議的藥，一小時後腹部的抽痛就消退了不少。
Many women find that a warm water bottle placed on the stomach helps ease period cramps.
許多女性發現，在肚子上放一個熱水袋有助於緩解經痛。
The nurse explained that light walking can sometimes reduce the pain of menstrual cramps.
護理師解釋說，輕度散步有時可以減輕經期絞痛的不適。
Amelia drank ginger tea every evening during her period and noticed her cramps became less intense.
Amelia 在經期每晚喝薑茶，發現她的經痛變得比較不劇烈了。
- period pain
a gentler, everyday term, common in British English
- dysmenorrhea
the medical term; very formal and rarely used in conversation
用法筆記
Usually plural ('cramps'); singular 'a cramp' is uncommon in this sense. 'Period cramps' (informal) and 'menstrual cramps' (formal) are the most common collocations.
常見錯誤
4. a piece of metal shaped with two right-angle bends, used for gripping pieces of
U型夾
固定建材的金屬扣件
a piece of metal shaped with two right-angle bends, used for gripping pieces of wood, stone, or other building materials and keeping them firmly joined.
Obi fixed the two wooden boards together with a metal cramp while the glue dried.
Obi 用一個金屬扣件把兩塊木板固定在一起，等膠水乾。
metal cramp as a construction tool
The builder hammered an iron cramp into the stone blocks to keep the wall from shifting.
建築工人把一個鐵製扣件敲進石塊裡，防止牆壁移位。
Old wooden ships were joined with iron cramps instead of modern screws and bolts.
古時候的木船是用鐵扣件接合，而不是現代的螺絲和螺栓。
A heavy cramp held the beam in place while the carpenters checked the measurements.
一個重型扣件固定住了橫梁，讓木工們檢查尺寸。
用法筆記
This sense is unrelated to muscle pain. It refers to a physical tool and is mainly used in construction, carpentry, and masonry contexts.
常見錯誤
5. something that limits a person’s freedom of movement, action, or expression.
束縛
限制自由的事物
something that limits a person’s freedom of movement, action, or expression.
The strict rules of the boarding school felt like a cramp on the children’s natural creativity.
寄宿學校的嚴格規定對孩子們天生的創造力來說是一種束縛。
a cramp on + abstract noun
Living in such a tiny apartment with a large family put a cramp on everyone’s personal space.
和一家大小住在這麼小的公寓裡，每個人的個人空間都受到了壓縮。
The company’s outdated policies were a cramp on the staff’s ability to try new methods.
公司那些過時的政策對員工嘗試新方法的能力來說是一種束縛。
- restriction
more neutral and common; lacks the physical tightness metaphor
- limitation
broader in meaning, can apply to abilities as well as freedoms
- shackle
more dramatic, suggesting something that prevents progress entirely
- freedom
the absence of restrictions
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in the pattern 'a cramp on [something]' and often carries a critical tone about unnecessary limits.
常見錯誤
cramps — 動詞
- crampspresent simple I / you / we / they
- crampses3rd person singular
- crampsing-ing form
- crampsedpast simple
1. if a muscle cramps, or if you cramp a muscle, it suddenly becomes hard and tight
抽筋
肌肉突然收縮疼痛
if a muscle cramps, or if you cramp a muscle, it suddenly becomes hard and tight in a painful way that you cannot control.
David’s leg cramped up while he was swimming in the cold lake at summer camp.
David 在夏令營的冷湖水裡游泳時，腿抽筋了。
intransitive: a body part + cramps (up)
If you do not stretch before you run, a muscle in your leg may cramp halfway through.
如果你跑步前不做伸展，跑到一半腿部的肌肉可能會抽筋。
The long hike caused Amelia’s foot to cramp, so she sat on a rock and rested.
長途健行讓 Amelia 的腳抽筋，她只好坐在石頭上休息。
Anong cramped her calf muscle when she pushed too hard during the last kilometre of the race.
Anong 在比賽最後一公里時用力過猛，導致小腿抽筋。
The cold water cramped the swimmer’s toes, making it hard to kick properly.
冷水讓游泳選手的腳趾抽筋，難以好好打水。
- relax
to become loose and free of tension
文法句型
subject + verb
subject + verb + object
用法筆記
Common with 'up': 'cramp up' means the muscle tightens gradually. 'Cramp' (without up) suggests a sudden tightening.
常見錯誤
2. to limit the freedom of someone or something so that they cannot move, develop,
限制
約束自由或發展
to limit the freedom of someone or something so that they cannot move, develop, or express themselves in a natural way.
Strict school rules cramped the students’ ability to share their own opinions in class.
嚴格的校規限制了學生在課堂上分享自己想法的能力。
cramp + ability + infinitive
The narrow hallway cramped the movement of people trying to get past each other.
狹窄的走廊限制了人們互相通過的空間。
Living in a small flat with his two dogs cramped Caleb’s daily routine a great deal.
和兩隻狗住在一間小公寓裡，大大限制了 Caleb 的日常生活。
The new dress code cramped the dancers’ freedom to choose their own stage costumes.
新的服裝規定限制了舞者選擇自己舞台服裝的自由。
- free
to remove restrictions from
文法句型
cramp + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often carries a figurative meaning — not physical restriction but limiting expression, creativity, or growth. 'Cramp someone’s style' is a related fixed idiom.
常見錯誤
3. to join or secure two pieces of material by gripping them with a metal clamp or
用夾子固定
用金屬扣件接合
to join or secure two pieces of material by gripping them with a metal clamp or bracket.
The carpenter cramped the two beams together before drilling the final holes.
木工用扣件把兩根梁夾在一起，然後才鑽孔。
cramp + object + adverb (together)
Workers cramped the iron brackets into the stone foundation to keep the wall stable.
工人把鐵製扣件敲進石頭地基裡，以保持牆壁穩固。
Each section of the wooden frame was cramped to the next with heavy metal clips.
木框的每一段都用重型金屬夾子和下一段固定在一起。
- loosen
to make less tight or release
文法句型
cramp + noun phrase + to/into + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is very technical and largely limited to historical construction, carpentry, and shipbuilding contexts. Modern builders usually say 'clamp' instead.
cramps — 形容詞
- crampspositive
- crampsercomparative
- crampsestsuperlative
1. difficult to read, understand, or make sense of, especially because the handwrit
難以辨認
字跡或說明模糊難懂
difficult to read, understand, or make sense of, especially because the handwriting or explanation is unclear.
The note from the doctor was so cramped that the pharmacist could not read the medication name.
醫生的字條太潦草，藥劑師看不清楚藥名。
predictive adjective: cramped describing unclear writing
The professor’s cramped writing style confused the students, who asked him to explain the problem again.
那位教授的寫作風格晦澀難懂，學生們感到困惑，只好請他再解釋一次。
The old letter was written in cramped script that took hours to decode.
那封舊信的字跡十分難辨，花了幾個小時才解讀出來。
- legible
clear enough to read easily
用法筆記
This adjective is archaic in modern English. The forms 'cramped' or 'illegible' are far more common today and sound more natural to native speakers.
常見錯誤
2. having so little space that movement or comfortable living is difficult.
狹窄的
空間太小難以活動
having so little space that movement or comfortable living is difficult.
The six family members shared a cramped kitchen that barely had room for one person to cook.
六個家庭成員共用一間狹窄的廚房，連一個人煮飯都很勉強。
cramped describing a confined space
Tamar’s student bedroom felt very cramped because the ceiling was low and the walls were close.
Tamar 的學生臥室感覺非常狹窄，天花板又低、牆壁又近。
The bus was so cramped with passengers that nobody could sit without touching elbows.
公車上擠滿了乘客，狹窄到連坐著都會碰到別人的手肘。
The Watanabe family moved out of the cramped flat into a house with a garden for the children.
渡邊一家從狹窄的公寓搬到了有花園的房子，讓孩子們有地方玩耍。
用法筆記
In modern English 'cramped' is used far more often than 'cramp' for this sense. 'Cramp' as an adjective survives mainly in older or regional British usage.